Club-by-club guide to the 2015-16 season

Club-by-club guide to the 2015-16 season

1/19
Arsenal

Position last year: 3rd
Players in: Petr Cech (Chelsea).
Players out: Ryo Miyaichi (St Pauli), Abou Diaby (Marseille), Lukas Podolski (Galatasaray), Carl Jenkinson (West Ham, loan), Wojciech Szczesny (Roma, loan).
Missing link: A world-class centre forward perhaps, although some claim Alexis Sanchez will fit that bill.
Prospects: Only four points off second place last time, as well as FA Cup winners again. With the attacking players free of injury and Petr Cech at the back, this could see Arsenal’s best title challenge for a while.
Key man: Alexis Sanchez.
Prediction: 2nd

6/19
Everton

Position last year: 11th
Players in: Tom Cleverley (Man United), Gerard Deulofeu (Barcelona), David Henen (Olmpiakos).
Players out: Antolin Alcaraz (unatt), Sylvain Distin (Bournemouth).
Missing link: Some excitement, much missed by supporters who want to believe in Roberto Martinez but often found the football dull.
Prospects: Having dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since 2006, Everton have not strengthened sufficiently to convince that they can improve. Things may get worse before they do.
Key man: Ross Barkley.
Prediction: 13th

Getty

7/19
Leicester City

Position last year: 14th
Players in: Christian Fuchs (Schalke), Robert Huth (Stoke), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz).
Players out: Chris Wood (Leeds United), Esteban Cambiasso (unattached).
Missing link: The players they haven’t managed to sign yet after sacking last season’s successful manager rather late in the day.
Prospects: A relegation struggle in prospect for Claudio Ranieri on his return to management in England after 11 long years. Unlike Nigel Pearson’s sterling effort, it may not succeed.
Key man: Jamie Vardy.
Prediction: 17th

11/19
Newcastle United

Position last year: 15th
Players in: Georginio Wijnaldum (PSV Eindhoven), Aleksandar Mitrovic (Anderlecht), Chancel Mbemba (Anderlecht).
Players out: Davide Santon (Internazionale),Jonas Gutierrez (unatt), Ryan Taylor (Hull), Sammy Ameobi (Cardiff, loan).
Missing link: Confidence, initially, after winning two games out of 15 from the end of January onwards. Quality will take longer.
Prospects: A new start under Steve McClaren, who may have pulled out a plum in young Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic.
Key man: Chieck Tioté.
Prediction: 14th

PA

12/19
Norwich City

Position last year: 3rd [Championship].
Players in: Graham Dorrans, Youssouf Mulumbu (both West Bromwich), Robbie Brady (Hull), Andre Wisdom (Liverpool, loan), Jake Kean (Blackburn Rovers).
Players out: Mark Bunn (Aston Villa).
Missing link: The men who will score the sufficient amount of goals and those who will keep them out.
Prospects: Heavy and consistent scorers last season in the Championship, but the fact that they conceded 48 goals at a lower level does not bode well for the newcomers this season.
Key man: Bradley Johnson
Prediction: 19th

14/19
Sunderland

Position last year: 16th
Players in: Sebastian Coates (Liverpool), Adam Matthews (Celtic), Jeremain Lens (Dynamo Kiev), Younes Kaboul (Tottenham).
Players out: El-Hadji Ba (Charlton), Santiago Vergini (Getafe, loan).
Missing link: Goals, goals, goals. And Connor Wickham, joint top scorer (with five) has left the club.
Prospects: Dick Advocaat may have stayed after all but uninspiring signings to add to a team three points off relegation suggest that it may have been only a postponement; like his departure.
Key man: Jermain Defoe.
Prediction: 18th

18/19
West Bromwich Albion

Position last year: 13th
Players in: James McClean (Wigan), James Chester (Hull), Rickie Lambert (Liverpool).
Players out: Graham Dorrans, Youssouf Mulumbu (both Norwich), Chris Baird (Derby), Georgios Samaras (unattached).
Missing link: Apart from Saido Berahino, nobody scored more than four league goals, which Rickie Lambert now has to do.
Prospects: Having a key man who could yet depart is a concern, even with Lambert on board. As long as Berahino stays, Tony Pulis should keep them steady.
Key man: Saido Berahino
Prediction: 12th